把“增强“变为现实

Offer a useful experience. It’s easy to treat AR technology as a novelty or toy, but the platform allows you to deliver incredible value to undecided shoppers. While some organizations feel pressured to create their own unique take on AR, they might find it makes sense to invest in smaller companies to do the work for them.

For example, a Sephora app employs ModiFace technology to allow users to take a "selfie" and then apply a variety of cosmetic products to their faces. Instead of spending hours debating the merits of eyeliner options in-store, Sephora customers can narrow their choices from home and streamline the shopping process.

Add novelty to retail. Between physical and online marketplaces, intense competition is being waged within most verticals. Incorporating AR is an immediate way for retailers to stand out from the pack.

Eyewear retailer Warby Parker, for instance, differentiated itself from competitors by allowing shoppers to try items on before a purchase. Virtual shopping offers the same novelty, without any of the costs associated with shipping products to clients. The technology hasn’t been perfected, but the possibility of creating an avatar and having it try on digital clothing via something such as Wolfprint 3D is not far off. In fact, a 2015 study by Walker Sands showed that 35 percent of consumers surveyed said they would shop more online if they could interact with products virtually.

Allow users to customize. Retailers such as Nordstrom have distinguished themselves from competitors by offering a fully personalized shopping experience, guided by a knowledgeable curator who knows an individual shopper’s style, sizes and preferences. As a result, Nordstrom became famous for its customer service.

AR has the potential to deliver these personalized services to the masses. Users are hungry for this sort of digital customization, whether it be an app that allows them to test out different color combinations or a friendly AI offering clothing suggestions based on purchase history.

Those retailers that reap the biggest benefits of AR and VR will be the ones willing to invest resources early, and fully commit to the technology. Shoppers are anxious for the breakthrough that will finally remove uncertainty from the buying process. And AR has the potential to do just that, but only if retailers work to bring the technology into the real world.

Eden Chen

Eden Chen is the co-founder of Fishermen Labs, a Los Angeles-based development agency focused on custom web and mobile app development. Fishermen Labs has created more apps in the App Store than any other company in Southern Calif...